Railcar load divider door suspension device

Abstract

A railcar load divider support carriage having a load divider support beam, a pair of roller support bars fixedly attached to opposing ends of the load divider support beam, the ends of the roller support bars extending horizontally from the sidewalls of the load divider support beam, and a pair of rollers rotatably mounted at the ends of each of the roller support bars, the roller carriage providing for rolling motion of a railcar load divider door along roller tracks affixed to the interior of a railcar, the roller tracks engaging with and supporting the rollers.

I claim: 
     
       1. A support carriage comprising: (A) A load divider support beam having a first end and having a second end;   (B) A first roller support bar;   (C) A second roller support bar;   (D) A first pair of rollers;   (E) A second pair of rollers;   (F) Adjustable mounting means; the adjustable mounting means being capable of fixedly and adjustable attaching the first roller support bar upon the load divider support beam so that the first roller support bar is positioned at a point outwardly removed from the first end of the load divider support beam and so that the ends of the first roller support bar extend perpendicularly from a line extending alone the longitudinal midline of the load divider support beam, the adjustable mounting means attaching the first roller support bar to the load divider support beam; the second roller support bar being fixedly attached to the second end of the load divider support beam so that the ends of the second roller support bar extend perpendicularly outward from said line; the first pair of rollers being rotatable mounted upon the first roller support bar so that their axes of rotation are substantially parallel with said longitudinal midline; the second pair of rollers being rotatable mounted upon the second roller support bar so that their axes of rotation are substantially parallel with said longitudinal midline; and   (G) A plurality of load divider suspension plates, the load divider suspension plates being fixedly welded to the exterior surface of the load divider support beam; the load divider support beam comprising a first upper wall and a pair of first sidewalls, such walls forming an adjustment beam receiving channel; the adjustable mounting means comprising an adjustment beam fixedly and adjustable mounted within the adjustment beam receiving channel; the adjustment beam comprising a second upper wall and a pair of second sidewalls; the first sidewalls of the load divider support beam having a plurality of first bolt receiving apertures therethrough; the second sidewalls of the adjustment beam having a plurality of second bolt receiving apertures therethrough, the second bolt receiving apertures being positioned upon the second sidewalls so that upon slidable mounting of the adjustment beam within the adjustment beam receiving channel of the load divider support beam, the second bolt receiving apertures may align with the first bolt receiving apertures; the adjustable mounting means further comprising a plurality of bolts extending through the first bolt receiving apertures, and thence through the second bolt receiving apertures; the second bolt receiving apertures being elongated slots; each of the rollers comprising the first and second pair of rollers having an annular flange therearound; each of such rollers having sealed internal bearings.   
     
     
       2. A support carriage providing rolling suspension of a railcar load divider door from roller tracks affixed along the rooflines of the interior space of a railcar, the support carriage comprising: (A) A load divider support beam having a first end, a second end, an upper wall, and a pair of sidewalls, the walls forming an interior channel;   (B) A first roller support bar having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface being fixedly attached to the first end of the load divider support beam and positioned so that the first roller support bar is in perpendicular alignment with the longitudinal axis of the load divider support beam and so that the ends of the first roller support bar protrude horizontally from the exterior surfaces of the sidewalls of the load divider support beam;   (C) A second roller support bar having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface of the second roller support bar being fixedly attached to the second end of the load divider support beam and positioned so that the second roller support bar is in perpendicular alignment with the longitudinal axis of the load divider support beam, so that the second roller support bar is in parallel alignment with the first roller support bar, and so that the ends of the second roller support bar protrude horizontally from the exterior surfaces of the sidewalls of the load divider support beam;   (D) A first pair of rollers rotatable mounted at opposite ends of the first roller support bar and positioned so that their axes of rotation are in parallel alignment with the longitudinal axis of the load divider support beam, and so that the first pair of rollers protrude outwardly from the exterior surface of the first roller support bar;   (E) A second pair of rollers rotatably mounted at opposite ends of the second roller support bar and positioned so that their axes of rotation are in parallel alignment with the longitudinal axis of the load divider support beam, and so that the second pair of rollers protrude outwardly from the exterior surface of the second roller support bar;   (F) A first adjustment beam having an upper wall, a pair of sidewalls, a first end, and a second end, the first end of the first adjustment beam being fixedly attached to the interior surface of the first roller support bar in perpendicular alignment therewith, the exterior width of the first adjustment beam being closely fitted to the width of the interior channel of the load divider support beam;   (G) A second adjustment beam having an upper wall, a pair of sidewalls, a first end, and a second end, the first end of the second adjustment beam being fixedly attached to the interior surface of the second roller support bar in perpendicular alignment therewith, the exterior width of the second adjustment beam being closely fitted to the width of the interior channel of the load divider support beam; the sidewalls of the load divider support beam having a plurality of support beam apertures therethrough along the longitudinal length thereof; the sidewalls of the first and second adjustment beams having a plurality of adjustment beam apertures along the longitudinal length thereof, the adjustment beam apertures being positioned so that upon placement of the first and second adjustment beams within the interior channel of the load divider support beam, the first and second adjustment beams may be slidably positioned along the length of the interior channel to cause a plurality of the adjustment beam apertures to align with and underlie a plurality of support beam apertures, forming continuous passages from the exterior surfaces of the sidewalls of the load divider support beam to the interior surfaces of the sidewalls of the first and second adjustment beams; and the means of fixed attachment of the first and second roller support bars to the ends of the load divider support beam comprising a plurality of threaded bolts positioned within and through the continuous passages, the threaded bolts being secured in place by threaded nuts; and   (H) A plurality of load divider door suspension plates, the load divider door suspension plates being fixedly welded to the sidewalls of the load divider support beam.   
     
     
       3. The support carriage described in claim No. 2 wherein the support beam apertures are elongated slots whose longitudinal axes are in parallel alignment with the longitudinal axis of the load divider support beam, and whose vertical axes are closely fitted for receiving the shafts of the threaded bolts. 
     
     
       4. The support carriage described in claim No. 2 wherein the adjustment beam apertures are elongated slots whose longitudinal axes are in parallel alignment with the longitudinal axes of the first and second adjustment beams, and whose vertical axes are closely fitted for receiving the shafts of the threaded bolts. 
     
     
       5. The support carriage described in claim No. 2 wherein each of the rollers comprising the first and second pair of rollers have an annular flange extending from their exterior radial surfaces for retaining the rollers upon the roller tracks of the railcar, and for maintaining the load divider support beam in perpendicular alignment with the sidewalls of the railcar. 
     
     
       6. The support carriage described in claim No. 5 wherein each of the rollers making up the first and second pair of rollers have sealed internal bearings. 
     
     
       7. The support carriage described in claim No. 6 further comprising a plurality of cylindrical angled keepers fixedly attached to the support carriage and positioned to extend outward therefrom and to underlie the roller tracks to prevent the support carriage from bouncing or vibrating upward away from the roller tracks.